Famous Last Words
by dwilivia
Summary: One might wonder what exciting things happened in the Lava Springs' locker room that made Chad and Ryan want to exchange clothes right after their baseball match... /RyanChad Friendship, Hints of Chaylor, Ryella/


Famous Last Words  
by dwilivia

* * *

One might wonder what exciting thing happened in the Lava Springs' locker room that made Chad and Ryan want to exchange clothes right after their baseball match... [RyanChad Friendship [Hints of Chaylor, Ryella

* * *

It was on the sweltering, red-sand encrusted pitches of the Lava Springs' baseball field that Ryan Evans felt an urge to tug the collar of his Ralph Lauren white cashmere neck pull-over tee. His slightly dusty Emporio Armani jogging pants may have done better sashayed along a runway, but he'd been issued a challenge he just couldn't refuse: playing baseball with Chad Danforth. And while Chad didn't believe Ryan was capable of moves beyond those executed on the dance floor, this blonde certainly had game. And he brought it just as good as Chad had- and maybe even better. 

Ryan mock-saluted the scoreboard which displayed the Wildcats' boderline victory over his. But he'd shrugged off the score- it didn't really matter to him, anyway. He was just happy he was included for once, and he'd gotten to play the game he'd loved since his Junior League days. With a graceful sweep, he collected the one single bat that lay abandoned at the side of the field, and a worn, malodourous mitten that he was sure had seen better days. But he cradled these items as if they were something precious, and prepared to walk off first base and get back to his ordinary life as a member at Lava Springs. He might even consider stopping by the spa for that new seaweed facial Mother had talked about earlier...

But Chad's voice rang loud and clear just as his feet briefly touched the pitch. "Hey, Evans..."

It wasn't jeering. Neither was it contempt or disdain or anything Chad had previously dumped on him. It held a trace of awe, perhaps a little bit of disbelief. His lips started to turn up at one corner: Had Chad finally gotten his message? Had he finally decided that he would... he could dance?

Ryan Evans knew a dancer when he saw one, and he was sure he saw plenty of dance entwined with Chad's slick baseball game. But dancing took more than just fanciful footwork- it took heart, too.

Chad's earlier dismissal of the notion that he could dance had Ryan almost wanting to scream out in frustration. All that talent, all that fluid movement, all gone to waste just because Chad didn't believe. He almost felt sad for the boy. Almost. But he still had his fighting spirit, and he knew that he had what it took to convince the boy that if a theatre boy could play some ball, then it was very certainly okay for a basketball player to surrender to the magic that Ryan called dance.

Chad's teammates surrounded the pitch, waiting to hear what their baseball leader had to say. Ryan felt every drop of perspiration that dripped into their jerseys as well as he felt Chad's internal fear. He was scared that he wouldn't be able to do it. But most of all, he was scared he would be good at it.

But Chad took the leap. "I'm not saying I will, but if I join... what kind of dance moves would you make me do?"

The team held their breath.

The audience silently cheered.

Gabriella flashed a million-watt smile at Ryan like she couldn't be prouder if she'd done the convincing herself.

Taylor giggled as she fathomed the possibilities.

And while the whole field awaited his answer... Ryan just smiled coyly and walked off pitch, leaving one very confused and slightly curious baseball player still sweating with his shoes encrusted with red sand.

* * *

The water felt good on his skin. Ryan hadn't brought a change of clothes, so he decided he would just rinse off the dirt that was smudged on his elbows and on one cheek, and then slip back into his game clothes. After that, he would finally leave the too-small, too damp, and far too dim staff locker room of Lava Springs and retire to his suit's luxurious bathtub and pour in a generous handful of the almond bathsalts he'd had specially delivered up for him just yesterday. He tried hard not to look at the suspicious black matter that was clogging up the drainage area (he shuddered when he'd first stepped into the stall). 

He dried off with the first off the pile of clean (he hoped) stacked and folded towels that he found before he came in (the locker room was surprisingly near the laundry room) and as he fastened the zipper on his all-too dirty, too expensive pants and reached down for his shirt, he heard a whistling as another shower that he hadn't been aware of earlier shut off, leaving the drip-drip-drip of leaky faucets that he'd only ever encountered twice in his lifetime- both in school washrooms. He vaguely picked out the melody as the one he'd sung earlier, and he smiled as he draped his shirt over one pale shoulder and turned to greet, who else, but Chad Danforth.

Chad, like him, had taken the liberty of a shower before, Ryan was sure, meeting up Taylor. That was strange, he thought. He'd never known Chad to be as decent as that.

Chad was furiously rubbing a towel into his wild afro and was busy trying to untangle a couple of the miniscule curls that had gone out of place. Ryan watched him at work for a while, before clearing his throat, making Chad jump.

"Evans!" He half groaned. "Don't do freaky stuff like that, man!"

Ryan shrugged and looked around. "So, where's the team?"

Chad rolled his eyes. "They don't understand the meaning of clean, so I guess they're probably outside with pizza and hotdogs." Chad paused for a moment, fingers still hard at work. "What do you want, anyway?"

Ryan did a little pivot before ending up in the space just right beside Chad. "I thought I might teach you some of those moves you wanted to know about."

Chad laughed. "Oh. I didn't know you would actually do it." One hand came up to scratch his neck. "I don't suppose I'd be too good at anything, so..."

"Shhh." Ryan admonished. "No more talking. Only moving." Ryan pushed aside the two benches obstructing their way, and made room for a box step and his signature jazz square.

"Dude, no offense," Chad protested, "But that looks just too darn silly..."

"SHH! No talking, remember?" Ryan placed a finger on his lips as if to illustrate his point. "Now follow... One, two step, right. No, Chad, you're moving the other way... go left on this turn... pivot.. yes, that's correct..."

And so it went on like this for fifteen minutes- Chad turning and swaying and doing surprisingly forceful swishes and arm dalliances that felt, crazy as it may seem, exactly like playing baseball. Or any other sport, for that matter. It was all in the coordination, and in the mind.

And when Ryan made him say, "I am Chad the dancer. My heart yearns for the magic of dance.", he felt like he'd already embarrassed himself enough in front of the blonde, and so he said it. Even if it did make him feel like a serious loser inside.

Ryan collapsed onto the bench and smoothed out his cashmere pullover from his shoulder while Chad, too, slumped down beside him. His jersey had been long abandoned at the edge of the sink, and both of them felt wonderfully at ease with each other.

Chad stared at Ryan's shirt and reached out for it. He felt the smooth creases that felt fluidly soft against his fingertips, and suddenly he jumped back. "Ryan! Have you been running and batting and pitching in these clothes?"

Ryan shrugged. "Yeah, why not?"

Chad looked mortified. "WHY NOT? They feel like they cost more than my entire wardrobe put together!"

Ryan laughed. "No they don't."

Chad folded his arms across his chest. "Oh yeah? How much?"

Ryan told him.

"WHAT?" Ryan just laughed.

Chad sighed. "You're mocking me."

"Kinda?" Ryan didn't want to tell him that he'd only told him half the real amount, anyway. But he watched as Chad touched the fabric so gingerly and wistfully that he suddenly had the most inane idea.

"Hey," he whispered to the other boy. "I've got an idea." Ryan stood up and grabbed Chad's jersey and held up his white tee against his chest. "You like Taylor, right?"

Chad nodded. "Uh, I would think so."

Ryan smiled and threw his shirt at Chad. "Wear this. I'm sure she'd like it."

Chad's eyes lit up. "Really? For serious?"

The blonde laughed. "Yeah, why not? She'll be wonderfully surprised."

Chad nodded, holding the shirt as though it were made of some fragile material, while Ryan figured that it wouldn't do to match cashmere with baggy shorts...

Moments later, Ryan smoothed out the last of the creases of Chad's outfit. With his hair tied back, and Ryan's colourful striped hat just fitted nicely over, Ryan thought he could pass off as one of the country club members instead of the kitchen help.

Chad smiled at Ryan through the mirror and patted his shoulder. "Thanks a lot man. But you sure you're comfortable in that jersey and those pants?"

Ryan looked down at himself adorned with red and white bagginess and did a little twirl. "I'm sure I deserve to be a Wildcat just for this once."

With a side box step, a little jive and a high five, the two sauntered their way out of the staff locker room, feeling like kings in their new royal garb.

* * *

Taylor and Gabriella had grabbed their hotdogs and cokes and were looking for a place to settle down, when they spotted a seemingly unconventional pair seated side by side under one of the umbrella benches. Only... it couldn't have been who they thought it was, right? Because the blonde boy was wearing loose pants, a Wildcat jersey (with Chad's number, Taylor noted, but she figured she might've seen it wrong) and... leather Italian shoes?

The other boy had a strangely familiar blue green striped hat (Gabriella wondered where she'd seen it before) with an all white ensemble that looked far too expensive for anyone's taste. Only the worn white and red Converse shoes gave him away, and Taylor shrieked and pulled Gabriella over to see if it were really true.

And it was. There was Chad, seated in something so wonderfully handsome that Taylor sighed and touched his hat. "Oh, this is just so..." She began, and he cut her off worriedly, "Is it too much? I thought it might-"

Taylor giggled. "You silly. You look perfect." She threw her arms around him, and he returned the embrace warmly, to which Ryan only smiled. Gabriella took a seat by his side and sighed dreamily at the pair. "They're so cute together..." she whispered in Ryan's ear. "But you should totally hear them when they argue- it's so much more fun!"

While Gabriella munched on her hot dog (she offered him a bite, which he took because he was famished since Chad only had enough money for cheese fries and Ryan only carried cards around when he was on vacation- and apparently hotdog stands don't do Visa or AmericanExpress), he got a high five from a couple of the Wildcats he played against moments ago. He felt, for the first time in the whole vacation, like he was part of a team. It was great.

In the spur of the moment, Chad suddenly asked Taylor to dance, and while he demonstrated his first public attempt at free-style. The crowd around them grew, as did the cheers and Gabriella suddenly pulled Ryan up to his feet, away from the crowd and asked, "Did you do that?"

He shrugged modestly.

Gabriella suddenly took his hands and laughed. "Please teach me something?"

He wondered what he might teach her, when she suddenly pulled him into a swing step that he hadn't even known she knew. The dance evolved into something too clumsy for stage, but she was having just as much fun as he was, and he didn't mind it at all.

Eventually her stamina died down and they slowed their steps to rest comfortably on each other- her arms slung over his neck while his came to rest lightly on her waist. He liked this, he realised. She smelt like watermelon lip balm and chlorine, but the scent was comforting and he hadn't felt anything at all like this since he last did yoga with his mom.

"Do you and Troy do this all the time?" He asked, gently, just resting his chin above her head. He could feel her smile against his chest, and her hands came down to cross over his lower back. "Yeah." She said. "Sometimes. But hardly, now." She sounded a little sad. "He's got work and all..."

Ryan nodded. "Yeah. I see."

"And," She added, almost sheepishly, "We're both terrible dancers."

"Nahh, you're not that bad!" She tilted up her head to smile at him. "But you're just saying that..."

Ryan suddenly twirled her out of his embrace, causing her to shriek, and just as quickly, he had her sailing back in his arms. She laughed and hit his chest lightly. "You're crazy, Wildcat!"

He laughed at that, then rubbed her shoulder affectionately.

"Hey," Gabriella said, "Why don't you come for dessert with all of us tonight? We'll be at the back of the kitchen at the basketball court. My mom's making her special brownies..."

"Sure, I'll come."

Gabriella smiled, then reached around to pull him into a hug. "You're the best, Ryan Evans. We're so going to win that Star Dazzle award with you as our coach."

He just looked down at her, his blue eyes twinkling because he felt so alive. "Of course. Go Wildcats!"

* * *

Beside the field, Taylor and Chad ended their dance with a flourish and a bow. Their audience clapped and whistled and hooted, and while they dispersed into their little groups, the couple caught sight of Ryan and Gabriella hugging.

Taylor immediately clicked her tongue in disapproval. "First Sharpay, now Ryan? How much longer are those two going to try to break Troy and Gabriella up?"

Chad stopped to look at them. "I don't know if he planned this, Taylor. I just... I don't think he's like that. Maybe they're just having fun."

Taylor raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at Chad.

"Or maybe we'll just not tell Troy about this." He added hurriedly.

Taylor sighed as she looped her arm through Chad's. "We may have a problem here."

Chad patted her arm. "Nah, I'm sure it's nothing. They're just friends. They won't ever do something stupid like fall in love."

Kelsi, who just passed behind them at the exact moment, smiled to herself at the blonde and brunette pair across the field, mentally went to work on a duet that would suit both Ryan and Gabriella so perfectly.

But it might all just be wistful thinking...

Or, you know, Chad's famous last words.

_

* * *

_

_This is kinda lame. HAHA._

_I wrote this with a slash in mind and decided I didn't have the temperment to write something even remotely slashly today. SOOO, this is just for kicks(:_

_Dedicated to all who love Ryella and Chaylor. _

_Ending ought to be better._

_My shoulder is aching from leaning over to type. _

_KELSI: THE RYELLA ADVOCATE(:_

_haha. Don't ask._

_love,  
__dwilivia._


End file.
